Heating system



May 22, 1945. 1-. J. SULLIVAN HEATING SYSTEM Fil ed Nov. 15, #943 I \tmmwl N I u U s T Patented May 22, 1945 [OFFICE HEATING SYSTEM H Timothy J. Sullivan, Butte, Mon t assignor to Sullivan Valve and' Engineering Company,

Butte, Mont., a corporation of Montana Application November 1943, Serial 1%.510363 3 Claims.

This invention relates to heating systems, and more particularly to heating systems including hot water boilers of relatively small size such as those employed for supplying domestic hot water or for house heating.

While some features of the invention may be incorporated in coal-fired boilers, the greatest efliciency in operation and the maximum output thatof the hot furnace gases. The furnace gas flows upwardly in the usual manner, and the the wall of the furnace.

In other words, the relatively cool volume of returning water is conducted into a hot and increasingly hotter furnace atmosphere thus beginning the initial absorption of heat from a hot, but not the hottest atmosphere, by the relatively cool water and terminating the heat absorption in the hottest section of the furnace gases.

One of the objects of the invention is to change the conventional place of connection of the return pipe with the boiler, making this connection substantially at the top of the boiler instead of near the bottom and thereby causin the relatively coo water to progress into the hottest part of the furnace atmosphere, counter to the direc-, tion of the hot gas instead of with it, and thus augment the absorption of heat.

A further object of the invention is to use a circulating pump as assistance to the gravitation of the returning Water and therebyaid its counter-flow through the hot atmosphere of the furnace.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved heating system consisting of the combination of the boiler with an external pipe or radiator system, the novelty of the combination being in the connection of the return pipe with the top and inlet of the heating unit, and the interposition of a pump and expansion tank between the bottom exit of said unit and the flow pipe of the system.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a central, vertical section of a boiler constructed in accordance with the invention,

parts being shown in elevation and an oil burner being shown in place; p

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.- 1 I In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the boiler I 0 is employed in space heating, for which purpose it has a fiow pipe H and a return pipe 12 connected to a heating system that is shown schematically as a single radiator l3. An advantage w ich it is desired to state here is that said boiler, considering all Of its parts collectively, is well adapted to unitary assemblage and enclosure in a, jacket H, the details of which have .no concern with the invention.

The boiler includesa heating unit I5 within a double-walled, Water-filled shell I6 that constitutes what is conveniently called the furnace or enclosing wall of the fire chamber IT. The flow pipe H is screwed into an opening H at the top of the waterjacket or shell, there also being an opening li in the bottom of the jacket for the introduction of hot water from the heating unit. The shell stands upon a firepot I 8 which has a refractory lining I 9 when the oil burner 20 is used as the heatsource. The refractory lining may be omitted when a gas burner is located within the base of the shell IE, but no change is required in the boiler to adapt it for use with gas.

The general pathof the hot furnace gases is indicated by the arrows 2|, 22. The gas in the zone of the arrows 2| is hottest since this is the above the combustion zone. The gas in the zone of the arrows 22 is coo estsince it isfarthest from the combustion zone. The unit i5 is situated between these zones,'its lower end 23 occupying the former zone and its upper end 24 occupying the latter zone. The construction of this unit and the manner in which the water is conducted through it tend materially to increase the transfer of heat to the water. In other words, more of the heat is entrapped or absorbed for distribution in the radiator system, and the amount Wasted by escape up the flue 25 is accordingly reduced.

The heating unit comprises a double coil 26, 21 in spiral relationship to a central pipe 28 that is only slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the inner coil 26, thus forming a bafiie that prevents an axial flow of the combustion gases through the central bore of the coils 26, 21. The baflle or pipe 28 has end branches 29, 30 which constitute the inlet and exit connections of the supported Within the furnace space by its end connections.

An expansion tank 38 is located above and-con nected to the upper leg of the T.fitting 31, the tank being supported mechanically by any appropriate means, not shown. A water-circulating pump 40 is connected between the lower leg of the fitting 31 and piping 4| leading to the hot water inlet ll of the radiator :system, thus assisting gravity in returning the relatively cool water to the boiler.

In operation, a stream of hot gas moves through the fire chamber I"! from the combustion zone A to the flue outlet 25. The general direction of said stream is straight, it being understood, however, that said stream is broken into swirls where its course becomes tortuous around the convolutions of the coils 2'6, 21. The heating unit I5 "is located in said stream, and because of the fact that the flow of water is counter to thegeneral direction of the hot gas stream there will be :a greater absorption of heat than takes place in theconventional parallel flow systems. The water continues to absorb heat during its travel upwardlythrough the sh "11 IE to the outlet or flow pipe Il.

Brief mention is made at the beginning of the unitary character of the boiler. 'The jacket j l l contains'the entire furnace Hi, the "circulating pump flmand the expansion tank38. This is important from the standp oint of compactnessand ease of installation. The external pipe system can thus be confined to the radiators, in the *instance of the space heating system, and does not require an extrastandpipe to an expansion tank atthe highestpoint.

While I have described and shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understoodthat there is considerable latitude inthe design and location of the component elements and that various changes that may occur to those familiar with the design and 'installationof boilers fall within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the following claims.

the water jacket Hi, the pumpbeing driven by a motor 42. This pump sets up a s forced circulation in water paths in parallel ill of said stream, inlet I claim:

1. In a hot water heating system a boiler comprising a furnace shell to house a stream of hot gas movable upwardly from a combustion zone at the base of said shell, means cooperating with said shell to provide a water jacket having upper and lower openings, a Water heating unit within saidv shell in the path of said stream, inlet and exit water connectionsrespectively at the ends of said unit, said heating unit including a pair of concentric coils and a central pipe providing I between said connections, the inlet connection extending through said water jacket at a point remote from said combustion zone and the exit connection being contiguous to said combustion zone, and piping joining the exit connection with said lower opening of the water jacket;

2. AwbOlIEI assembly comprising a furnace shell to house a stream of hot gas movable upwardly from a combustion zone at the base of said shell, said shell being double-walled to provide a water jacket having top and bottom openings for connection respectively to the flow pipe and the return pipe of a hot water radiator system, a water heating unit Within said shell and in the path and exit water connections at the top and the bottom respectively of said unit, a piping joining the exit connection with .the bottom opening of said water jacket, and a circulating pump in said piping; said water heating Lunit including a coil and a central pipe providing water passages in parallel between said inlet and outlet water'connections.

3. Aunitary boiler construction having all essential parts embodiedtherein for connection to an external pipe system, said boiler construction comprising a water jacketed furnace having a fire chamber at the base thereof, the water jacket having an inflow pipe opening at the bottom thereof, said water jacket having a pipe opening .atthe top thereof for connection with the flow pipe of said system, "a water heating unit in the furnace, said unit having an inlet water opening for connection with the return pipe of said system :at a point remote from the .fire chamber and havinganexit water connectionsituated near the fire chamber, a pump between said exit -connection and the inflow opening of the water jacket for inducing a flow of water in the 'heating unit counter .to the direction of the hot .gas from thefire chamber, and an expansion tank situated adjacent to the furnace and connected .to the inlet side of said pump.

TIMOTHY .J. SULLIVAN. 

